Though they were all very different, all three of my outfit posts this month were pretty festive. The first was party appropriate, the second was very casual but still blingy, and the third was work-appropriate. So many more outfits went unphotographed, and so many planned went unworn! I hate when that happens, but that's ok-- I won't feel too bad about it this month because this December I started a new job! Hence my first work-appropriate outfit in a long, long time.

Also, one of my best friends got engaged! That's that last picture in this month's Instagram faves below. We're such dorks, but that's ok, I know you and your besties are too. :) The rest of my Instagram pictures this month just reflect the usual mélange of ootd's, diy manis, and selfies, plus lots of Christmas decor, of course, and one loop giveaway that I participated in.

A very happy new year to you all!
I hope 2015 will be one to remember (for good reasons) for all of us.

Follow along!
P.S. I will be hosting another loop giveaway (my last one for a while!) on New Year's Day. This time we're giving away something sparkly! Be sure to check out my Instagram (@nathyness_) on the 1st to enter.

The stories and traditions around the holidays are incredibly diverse, both across and within cultures. It's always so interesting to me to read learn about them. That's why I was so excited when Brooke of Pumps and Push-Ups asked me if I'd like to be a part of this super neat holiday traditions collab. This is seriously the cutest thing I've ever been a part of as a blogger!

I hope you'll enjoy reading about our favorite holiday traditions, and that you'll link up a post of your own where you talk about yours!

My family and I honor so many cultural traditions around the holidays; it was hard to pick out just one! But in the end I went with Noche Buena, which was always more magical than Christmas itself as a child. It was a night filled with joy and laughter, Christmas and salsa music, nostalgia and old stories of those glory Cuban days, endless domino games, and the incredible anticipation of what the next day would bring... Also, pork. Did I mention the pork? ;)

And now we'd love for you to join our link-up so we can see what your favorite holiday traditions are, too!

Alright, so maybe it's not super last-minute yet. But for online shopping, we're reaching the last couple of days where you can get Christmas-guaranteed shipping. And I discovered so many desirable items under $25 through my own shopping, I thought I'd make a whole activity out of it and share some links and tips with you guys.

TARGET BAGS

BEAUTY STOCKING STUFFERS

COZY AT HOME

SIMPLE JEWELRY

TRENDY SCARVES

Why did I choose these categories? Well, I've found that the women on my list (including me!) appreciate these little things-- they're everyday fashion and beauty staples. For me, the key to gifting well is 1) knowing the person you're gifting to and 2) getting them something of decent quality (it's not always possible to gift high-quality on a limited budget) that expresses something important. For example, if you have a penny-pinching friend that you know would LOVE to indulge herself more often, get her something you know she'd like but wouldn't get for herself, like an unnecessary but wonderfully smelling shampoo, or a nice piece of jewelry that she'll look at and think of you every time.

But thoughtful gifts can get expensive. That's why I like to:

Look for sets and aesthetically pleasing designs. Let's face it, if you have a very limited budget like I do, pretty, unique, or memorable design of appropriate quality can trump good quality. As for sets, they can give you more bang for your buck and allow you to gift higher-quality items (like with makeup or nail polish) at a price that won't break the bank.

Look for good deals, which can help you up the quality of your gift. Pretty much everything in the jewelry category here is from reputable stores or brands, yet it's all under $25. And even stores like Target, which are already affordable, can have good clearances. Just look at all those cute bags at those prices! Those bags are what started this post.

Go online. I used to shy away from online shopping for fear of identity theft and credit card fraud, but I'm now more familiar with how to prevent online identity theft (check out this list for some tips). The truth is, your identity can get stolen in any number of ways, and you will find some really great deals online (like all those Target bags which I can't stop talking about) that you just won't find in store.

Shop in-store, too. No way to know if online deals are better if you have no idea what things are going for in-store.

Check out blogger gift guides. Seriously, bloggers know what's in style, who's selling it on the cheap, and whether you should splurge on an item or go for a knockoff version.

So I hope you'll find these suggestions useful in your holiday shopping endeavors.

I wish you the best of luck with your shopping, both online and in-person, and lots of happy memories this holiday season!

Is it really December? I know I say this in every recap, but IS IT REALLY December now?? It's 2015 in just 4 weeks. It's the year I turn 25.

But let's talk November instead.

Never have I posted so many fall outfits before!

Most of these outfits are actually from October and were posted in November.

My love for color is evident. It just turns into muted color in the fall.

Also, 7/10 of my outfits featured boots. Boots! I'm very proud of myself. I always think I don't wear them enough.

As for my Instagram posts, it was a very productive and exciting month. I hosted two loop giveaways (one of which I organized! So fun!) and gained over 200 new followers. People unfollow after the giveaway but many stay around. And to those who do, I am very grateful that you'd wanna stick around. :)

P.S. That radiant orchid dress is coming up soon this week; it's an eShakti dress that I can't wait to talk about! Stay tuned!

Last Sunday Nestor and I went to Janisel Rosenthal's first Customer Appreciation Day Party. Janisel is a very sweet and talented photographer. I first met her in high school (she was in middle school) and we've kept in touch ever since. She took the photos for two of my all-time favorite blog posts (here and here). And on Sunday she gave me awards for "Most Creative" and "Best Smile!" Haha, I love it. We had a nice time with Janisel and some of her favorite customers, but sadly, it started pouring right around photo time! But, of course, she still managed to get this incredible shot of us and you can barely seen the rain in the background.

So I decided that I really liked my outfit that day and wore it again the next day for some outfit pictures (my fellow bloggers, I know you can relate!). My friend Gretchen (who just had an adorable baby boy) took the pictures below, and she did such a great job! Thanks, Gretchen!

Honestly, this whole post was inspired by Heisenberg. I needed an excuse to talk about this Heisenberg tee. You see, I just finished watching Breaking Bad (I know, late to the party) so I'm going through binge watch withdrawal. Thankfully I've got lots of fall tv to keep up with.

And hey, my favorite Disney princess turned 25 this week! The Little Mermaid is one of the most beloved Disney characters of all time, and Hipster Ariel in particular is huge on the internet. I thought this Hipster Ariel sweater was so cute and so now.

And Taylor Swift's 1989is per-fec-tion. Get the Target deluxe edition, which includes an extra song and three tracks that go into her songwriting process. I've been a Swift fan since Teardrops on my Guitar and I'm kinda heartbroken that she left country, but seriously the girl can do no wrong in my eyes. Love her, forever and always. Plus, I know she'll go back to country one day. Country will take her back.

Disclosure

Earnestyle uses affiliate product links in every post and some ads in the blog's sidebar. This means that if you click one of these links or an ad I will earn a very tiny commission. If you purchase an item I will earn a somewhat larger commission. All sponsored content included in the blog are for products or retailers that are featured in a post or for items that I would purchase myself. Items marked as "c/o" (courtesy of) were provided to me for free.